As more stories and more tapes and more outrageous statements are revealed, Ward Churchill comes off as the archetype of that guy we all know who got to where he is by bullying and threatening and lying: AIM leader claims Churchill once left threatening answering machine message. (Thanks to all for the emails.)

DENVER - A 12-year-old audio tape of an angry answering machine message left by Ward Churchill has surfaced. Much of the audio is unintelligible, but a person identifies himself as Ward Churchill on the tape.

The message was left on Vernon Bellecourt’s answering machine in 1993. Bellecourt is a leader of the American Indian Movement. Churchill severed ties with the organization. Bellecourt said he felt threatened by the message, but he never filed a police report.

The transcript is as follows:

“You siphoned a half million ripped off from Gadhafi.

How many other thousand dollars have you taken from the native people’s struggles?

You keep it up and I won’t just stand and look at you next time.

You understand what I’m saying fat boy turned skinny?

You decrepit old (expletive)”

The scary part about Churchill is not his 12-year old threats. It’s the fact that he’s actually been teaching college students. For a long time.

(There’s an audio clip of the answering machine message at the link above.)

UPDATE at 3/16/05 5:18:00 pm:

For background info on Churchill’s reference to Gadhafi, see: Anti-American Prof Met With Gadhafi.